Culinary tours to Italy led by a native Italian
  • CULINARY TOURS
    • AMALFI
    • CHIANTI
    • CALABRIA
    • SICILY
  • CUSTOM ADVENTURES & PRIVATE TOURS
    • Private Tours >
      • BOLOGNA
      • CHRISTMAS IN TUSCANY
      • PUGLIA
      • ROME
      • TUSCANY
      • VENETO
  • Zoom Cooking Classes
  • MY COOKBOOKS
"If your mother cooks Italian food, why should you go to a restaurant?" - Martin Scorsese

Torta di Mele - Italian Apple Cake

10/14/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
While growing up in Italy, we would often drive by a plot of land about 20 minutes from our home. "We used to own this land, " my mother would say, "and it had all kinds of trees: olive, chestnuts, apples, pears, plums, figs, so much fruit." She would reminisce over this land and the bounty it provided, and the recipes and dishes that came from so much "free" produce. While owning land does offer a "free" bounty, it's never without hard work. 

Over time, that land was sold and it was never family-owned during the time I lived there. Eventually, we did own another plot of land, but the trees there were mostly olive trees. I have such fond memories of going there and picking olives, by hand. We'd bring a picnic basket full of salumi and crusty bread, some vino for the adults, and after a morning picking olives, we'd break for lunch. My sister and I would often complain, whine and moan pretty much the entire day other than lunchtime! The things we take for granted when we don't know any better! 

It's uncertain if this recipe was born out of that original plot of land. My mom has been baking this apple cake "forever," and it's one of our family's fall favorite. We sometimes substitute the apples for bosc pears, but since we went apple-picking yesterday, we stuck to the original version. It's light, fragrant and the perfect match to a hot cup of coffee or tea. 
Picture
The apple pieces should be fairly small for even baking.
Picture
Incorporate apples by hand, not the mixer.
Picture
I had some lovely sugar crystals I brought back from Italy, but you can add regular sanding sugar or some cinnamon mixed with the sugar.
Picture
Delicious and quick! This makes a great hostess gift now that the holidays are coming up!
Ingredients
Non-stick Cooking Spray
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk (whole/2%/skim) 
citrus zest (from 1 lemon or 1 orange) 
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour - sifted  
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 apples of your choice (gala, granny smith, red delicious)

Optional - the below are optional toppings to the cake:
1 - 2 tablespoons sanding sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 1 - 2 tablespoons sanding sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9-inch or 10-inch round pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray, or cover with a thin layer of butter and flour the pan. Set aside. 
2. With the mixer on low-medium, start by beating the softened butter together with the granulated sugar until the mixture is well mixed and incorporated.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, the milk and lemon or orange zest. Mix well after each addition.
4. With the mixer on low, add the sifted flour and baking powder. Also add the salt.
5. Peel the apples, cut them into very small cubes and add them to the mixture and incorporate them using a rubber spatula, not the mixer.
6. Arrange the cake batter in the prepared pan. Spreading evenly. Add the sugar crystals or some cinnamon sugar, if using. Bake in a preheated oven for 38 - 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry.
8. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before removing from the pan. (If you serve the cake warm or hot, it will appear undercooked, so best to cool completely before serving.) 

***************************************************************************************************************************
Ready to make your 2020 Italian Travel Dreams come true? Consider joining us in one of our Culinary Adventures! 

CHIANTI: MAY 1 - MAY 8, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! 
AMALFI: MAY 10 - 17, 2020. Click here 
for all trip info on this great adventure!  
EMILIA ROMAGNA: MAY 19 - 26, 2020. Click here 
for all trip info on this great adventure! 
SICILY: SEPTEMBER 1 - 8, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! 
CHRISTMAS in TUSCANY: DECEMBER 4 - 11, 2020. Click here for all trip info on this great adventure! ​​
Picture
Share
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Hi there, thanks for visiting my blog! Here you will find recipes, short stories, tales, rants and whatever else is on my mind with regards to food, Italy, travel and along those lines. Drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you!

    Archives

    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

AS SEEN IN

Picture

MORE FROM US

BLOG
CONTACT
ABOUT
TESTIMONIALS

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL

francesca@thelazyitalian.com

LEGAL

COOKIES
PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©  2020 - Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures, LLC

Photo used under Creative Commons from Michael Stern
  • CULINARY TOURS
    • AMALFI
    • CHIANTI
    • CALABRIA
    • SICILY
  • CUSTOM ADVENTURES & PRIVATE TOURS
    • Private Tours >
      • BOLOGNA
      • CHRISTMAS IN TUSCANY
      • PUGLIA
      • ROME
      • TUSCANY
      • VENETO
  • Zoom Cooking Classes
  • MY COOKBOOKS